Jesus continues with the Sermon on the Mount. He gives us the Lord's Prayer
as a model for our own prayers. He tells us we must be willing to forgive other
people, just as God is willing to forgive our sins. He warns of the spiritual
dangers of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. He warns that wealth and worry
can distract us from serving God.

1. In Matthew 6:1, why did Jesus tell us not to practice
righteousness for the sake of being noticed by other people? Does this contradict
Matthew 5:16?

2. Alms are charitable gifts given for the benefit of the poor and needy.
What does Jesus tell us about giving alms in Matthew
6:2-4?

3. The Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke
11:1-4, is familiar to all Christians. Many of us recite it in church every
week, but we may not take the time to think about what it really means.

What
does "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" mean to you?

4. What does "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
mean to you?

5. What does "Give us today our daily bread" mean to you?

6. What does "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" mean
to you?

(The word "debt" is a translation of the Greek word opheilema
which literally means something owed. It is used figuratively here to mean
a moral fault or sin, as in Luke 11:4.)

7. What does "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"
mean to you?

(The phrase, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever", seen in some Bibles, was not in the original gospel
of Matthew. It was apparently added later as a doxology for public worship.)

8. Jesus gives a stern warning in Matthew
6:14-15, "If you refuse to forgive other people's sins, God will not forgive
your sins." Is there anyone you have not truly forgiven for some wrong done
to you?

The Greek word paraptoma means an offense or transgression.
It is usually translated as "trespass" in older Bibles and as "sin" in modern
English versions.

9. In Biblical times, fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) was a self-sacrifice done for spiritual
preparation. Fasting was also done as sign of repentance and atonement. Christians
seldom fast today, except for token fasts in some Christian traditions. Should
Christians fast today?

12. Worry and anxiety can also distract us from staying focused on the things of
God.a)What things do you worry about?b)Do those things seem less
important after reading Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke
12:22-31?